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IHS Markit smartphone research is different. We deliver comprehensive smartphone data, down to specific models and component categories, providing you with the detailed insight and data you need on the rapidly evolving global smartphone industry.

Xiaomi is changing its strategy for new members of the Redmi range of smartphones dramatically. The new K 20 Pro is positioned as a true flagship device for the Redmi brand. The company is combining premium hardware components while retaining aggressive pricing in a push to further take control of the Indian smartphone market.

The three major carriers in Korea, SK Telecom, Korea Telecom and LG U+. officially started 5G service at mid-night of 3 April. In the US, Verizon followed suit - also on 3 April.
The Korean roll out is much broader than Verizon's in the US, in terms of coverage, device support and data plan options.

HMD Global launched five new mobile phones at MWC 2018, all with striking industrial design. By choosing to only offer handsets with Google's pure Android One or Android Oreo (Go Edition), HMD threatens to disrupt established OEMs with legacy software. The new Nokia 8110 demonstrates featurephones are evolving now with LTE and will not die soon. HMD's flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco has a stunning steel-framed dual curved edge display in a super compact frame which will target Europe.

Samsung is packing its main innovative push into the cameras of its latest flagship Galaxy S devices. With the new super slow motion video capture, Samsung has improved on previous industry attempts to commercialize this feature. The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are strong handset designs which evolve from 2017’s excellent S8. They are markedly different in camera quality and display size from the two to three year old smartphones potential customers own now which should boost upgrades. However, consumers may delay purchase because of rising flagship prices.

At MWC Sony Mobile unveiled two new smartphones, Xperia XZ2, XZ Compact and the commercial launch for its Xperia Duo wearable. The importance of Sony’s innovations with these new smartphones will set the tone for the smartphone market for the next few years. IHS Markit expects other smartphone OEMs to deliver similar capabilities in the future including copying Sony’s 4K HDR video capture. But there is much more work needed to re-build Sony’s smartphone business and achievable sustainable profitability.

India is seen as the next driver of smartphone growth. This report provides analysis on (1) recent regulatory changes in India's smartphone industry; (2) the impact of the aggressive entry of Reliance Jio; (3) the performance and strategies of major OEMs; (4) our view of the market outlook and some caveats for smartphone OEMs.

The Galaxy Note 8 demonstrates Samsung’s confidence in its design expertise because of the strong similarities between the Note 8 and the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Samsung’s decision to launch the Note across all regions means the Note 8 should be the most successful Note smartphone for at least three years. IHS Markit expects the Note 8 Bill of Materials (BOM) cost will exceed those of all previous generations of Note models from Samsung.

Spreadtrum has announced that its mobile SoC, the SC9820, is powering the first commercially available 4G feature phone in India. The proclamation comes on the heels of a combined $22 billion investment in...

The S8 and S8+ are visibly differentiated smartphones because of their large Samsung displays, tiny bezels, and fast chipsets which all play to Samsung group’s competitive strengths. Samsung’s initial Bixby AI implementation falls short of its goal of being a comprehensive AI assistant because of weak app integration and limited voice compatibility. Provided Samsung can manufacture sufficient volumes of S8 and S8 + smartphones, and has no new reliability issues, the S8 will be a success for Samsung. The strong industrial design will support the Samsung brand and provide a foundation for Samsung’s ecosystem ambitions with VR, Bixby AI, and enterprise offerings.

The objective of the article is to examine patent rulings in the past few years that have made major impacts on the smartphone industry in four different regions: United States, Europe, India and China.
In particular, this article will examine the following two aspects of the patent industry that are relevant to the smartphone market:
I. Rulings made on Standard Essential Patent (SEP) royalty rates
II. Recent changes in patent laws for each region

Samsung announced its Q1'16 earnings results today, 50.94 trillion KRW revenue and 8.14 trillion KRW operating profit which makes 16.0% operating margin rate. The handset business of Samsung has been showing constant growth in unit volumes. However, both revenue and operating profit have declined. Mobile division which includes handset business unit recorded 26.07 trillion KRW in revenue. Operating profit of IM(IT and Mobile) group recorded 4.32 trillion KRW, which makes 16.3% operating margin. This is the highest operating margin since Q3’14.

At MWC 2016, the major leading smartphone makers launched new flagship smartphones as well as a new range of VR 360 degree smart accessory cameras. Including, Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge; Xiaomi Mi5; and notably LG's G5 with a modular expansion capability; and Alcatel's Idol 4S which is bundled with a VR headset .

The Mi5 is a class leading smartphone with innovative design elements and the very latest hardware technology, but Xiaomi needs to do more with its software ecosystem to significantly grow its business beyond its home market of China. Although, the Mi5's low prices will help shipment volumes everywhere Xiaomi launches the MI5.
Until Xiaomi tackles the fundamental international issues with its portfolio, its shipment growth will continue to be low. Xiaomi is trying to address this with two things: the number of patents it is now filing around the world and its partnership with Qualcomm on the Mi5.

IHS believes LG must take radical steps such as these to make its smartphone business stand out, because unless LG succeeds with the G5, VR camera and smart accessories, on LG's old trajectory IHS forecasted LG's smartphone shipments would decline 3% in 2016. Key to LG's differentiation will be its modular smartphone hardware, not VR. No other current smartphone maker has anything similar. Importantly, the modular smart accessories offer LG ways to generate profits adjacent to the commoditizing smartphone market.

Gear 360 is a marketing vehicle for the Galaxy S7, as well as Samsung's Gear VR headset. IHS expects Samsung smartphones will outsell the Gear 360 by over one thousand times this year. In a mature smartphone market, smartphone makers compete with their older selves to drive consumers to upgrade their existing smartphones.

In September 2014, the Government of India (GOI) launched the ‘Make-in-India’ program to encourage multinational and domestic companies to manufacture their products in India, with the objective of attracting capital and technological investment in India. Within a year, by August 2015, GOI had received US$17 billion worth of proposals from foreign and homegrown companies for manufacturing electronics in India.

Samsung grew revenue and profit in Q3 2015 on the back of improving mid and low end smartphone shipments. M Business unit which includes smartphone business posted 26.61 trillion Korean won (KRW) revenue in Q3'15. This is up 8% YoY and 2% QoQ. Operating profit was 2.4 trillion KRW, which reflects 9% of margin rate.

Mobile operator Orange has launched a range of new smartphone aimed at lowering the barrier to entry to 4G. The devices range in price between €79 and €239 and will be on sale across all of Orange's European footprint.

Samsung launched two new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy Note 5 and the Galaxy S6 Edge+. While these releases were anticipated, Samsung is launching ahead of schedule to try to maximise its momentum before Apple launches new iPhones in late September. The cost for this early release appears to be a staggered regional launch. Samsung also finally launched its payment service which it initially announced in February 2015.